PESHAWAR, June 6: Federal Minister for Water and Power Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao on Saturday said that Access to Justice Programme (AJP) would lead to reduction in number of cases pending before the courts.

Talking to newly-elected office-bearers of the Peshawar High Court Bar Association at the People's House, the minister recounted good aspects of the AJP, which mainly concentrated on providing quick and inexpensive justice to the litigants and addressing problems pertaining to the shortage of courtrooms and bar rooms.

Mr Sherpao said the AJP would also enable the government to overcome the shortage of judges in the lower judiciary and to ensure quick dispensation of justice to the people.

The minister expressed satisfaction over the reduction in the number of pending cases and felt optimistic that these cases could be disposed of in due course of time. Mr Sherpao also lauded the efforts of the legal fraternity for the restoration of democracy in the country.

He expressed the hope that the bars would extend all out help and assistance to the judiciary in the disposal of cases pending before the courts. The minister told them the government was well aware of the problems of lawyers' community and would take all possible steps to resolve them at the earliest.

He assured the lawyers community of his full support and cooperation in the resolution of their problems. -APP